Engine cooling system



June 4, 1946.

K. A. ROWLEY E NGINE COOLING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 21, 1945 fivenfar Patented June 4, 1946 v 2,401,510 V ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM Kennard Albert Rowley, Coventry, England.

Application February 21, 1945, Serial No. 578,970 In Great Britain March 25, 1944 3 Claims. (01. 123-174)" This invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly to such as incorporate a water-cooling system. I i

. It is well known that it is often difiicult to start up an internal combustion engine when cold, one

of the reasons, if not the principal reason, being that the fuel is less volatile at low temperatures.

The object'of the present invention is to provide a convenient, reliable and practical method of and means whereby a water-cooled internal combustion engine may be readily started up when cold.

For this purpose according to the present invention advantage is taken of the available supply of hot water in the cooling system when the engine has been running for some time, and the invention consists in the provision of means whereby a quantity of this hot water drawn from the cooling system can be kept hot and subsequently returned to the said system when the engine is cold for the purpose of facilitating the starting of the engine.

The invention involves the use of a container adapted to receive a quantity of the hot Water from the engine cooling system and to keep it hot for an appreciable length of time. For this purpose the said container may be lagged or preferably vacuum jacketed in a manner similar to a Thermos flask.

The said container is connected with the cooling system at a suitable point by means of a pipe and may be arranged with respect thereto so that by opening a cook a quantity of hot water from the cooling system may be allowed to flow into and fill the container. Alternatively, hot water can be drawn from the cooling system and delivered into the container by means of a pump.

The hot water stored in the container may be returned to the cooling system for the purpose of facilitating the starting of the engine in any suitable manner, as by means of a pump, or by gravity, according to the position of the container a .2 V as shown, providedwith a vacuum jacket 3 for heat retaining, purposes. 4 represents an internal combustion engine, and 5the radiator. of the water cooling system thereof.

The container, which may be of any desired capacity, can be arranged-abovethe radiator, as shown, or in any other suitable position, and is connected at the top with theinduction manifold 6 of the engine by meansof a pipe I, and at the bottom with the lower part of the radiator 5 by means of a pipe 8. These pipes, as shown in Figure 2, are both normally clwed by means of a valve 9 having a spring-loaded duplex plunger I!) which can be operated to open the valve by means of a cord or cable I I from a remote point, such as the dash-board or instrument panel of a motor vehicle.

The arrangement is such that if the valve plunger is drawn back against the pressure of its spring I2 to open both pipes I and 8 and held in the open position for a short time before stopping the engine, vacuous conditions will be created in the container, air being extracted therefrom by reason of its connection with the induction manifold 6 of the engine. At the same time a quantity of hot water in the engine cooling system will be drawn into the container 2 from the radiator through the pipe 8. When it is judged or otherwise ascertained that a sufficient supply of hot water has entered the container, the pipes 1, 8 are closed by releasing the valve plunger In which thereupon resumes its normal closed position under the pressure of its spring.

The hot water now stored in the container is kept hot by reason of the container being either lagged or surrounded by a vacuum jacket 3. In the latter case vacuou conditions may be created in the jacket at the same time as air is extracted from the container itself. This may conveniently be effected by forming a hole 13in the short length of pipe I between the container 2 and the outer casing of the jacket 3, as shown in Figure 1.

When it is required to again start up the engine the valve is re-opened by Withdrawing the plunger as before. The effect of this is to break the vacuum in the container and to allow the hot water therein to return to the radiator of the cooling system of the engine.

The lower part of the container may, if desired, be connected to the water jacket of the engine instead of to the radiator or to any other point in the cooling system.

Instead of connecting the container with the induction pipe, the air may be exhausted therefrom by means of a mechanical or electric pump or ejector, and, instead of relying upon the vacuous conditions in the container to draw hot water from the engine cooling system the said water may be delivered into the container by means of a pump.

Where the air is exhausted from the container by connecting the latter with the induction mani- .fold of the eng f?v in the manner above described,

this arrangement has the advantage that, when the valve is subsequently opened to deliver the hot water from the container to the engine cooling system, the air drawn into the container from the induction manifold has the effect of filling the latter with explosive mixture thereby priming the engine and further facilitatin the starting up of the same.

I claim:

1. Means for facilitating the starting of internal combustion engines having a water-cooling system, comprising a heat conserving closed container connected with said system and: with the induction manifold of said engine and means for controlling said connections so that a supply of hot Water can'be drawn from said system into said container and subsequently returned thereto asand whenrequired.

2. Means for facilitating the starting of internal combustion engines having a water-cooling system, comprising a heat conservingclosed con- 4 tainer connected with said system and with the induction manifold of said engine, and a valve for controlling said connections, said valve being normally closed and adapted when opened whilst the engine is running to allow a quantity of hot water to be drawn from said system into said container, said valve being then closed and subsequently re-opened, to allow the hot water in fsaidcontainer to flow back to said system when the engine is cold.

3. Means for facilitating the starting of internal combustion engines having a water-cooling system, comprising a vacuum jacketed closed container, a pipe connecting said container with said system, another pipe connecting said containerand its jacket-with the induction manifold of the engine and a valve controlling said pipe connections said valve being normally closed and adapted when opened when the engine is running to allow vac-uous conditions to be created in said container and its'jacket so as to cause a quantityof hot Water from said system to be drawn into said container and to be kept hot by the vacuous conditions in said jacket, said, valve being then closed and subsequently re-opened to allow the water kept hot in said container to return to said system as and when required.

I KENNARD ALBERT ROWLEY. 

